Jane Hilburt-Davis is a founding principal of Key Resources, aconsulting group firm that specialized in working with family andclosely-held businesses. Recognized as a leader in the field offamily businesses, she also co-founded the Cambridge Center forCreative Enterprise, an award-winning training and researchinstitute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

W. Gibb Dyer is the O. Leslie Stone Professor of Entrepreneurshipin the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young [...] is a recognized authority on family business andentrepreneurship. He has been featured in numerous publicationsincluding The Wall Street Journal, Inc., The New York Times, andNation's Business.

List of Figures, Tables, and Exhibits.

Acknowledgments.

Preface.

Part 1: The Family Business System.

1. Why Family Business Consulting?

What Is a Family Business?

Family Firm Systems.

Family Business Consulting.

The Development of the Field.

2. Characteristics of "Healthy" Family Businesses.

Healthy Family Businesses.

Unhealthy Family Enterprises.

Strengths and Weaknesses.

Part 2: Consulting to Family Businesses.

3. Contracting and Assessment.

The Consulting Process.

First Contact.

Chemistry Meeting.

Proposal/Engagement Letter/Contract.

Assessment and Diagnosis.

Are We There Yet?

4. Feedback and Planning.

Feedback and Action Planning.

Creating New Solutions.

Planning Ahead: After the Feedback Session.

Additional Tips for a Feedback Meeting.

Dealing with Conflicts.

5. Intervening in Family Firms.

Intervening in Family Firms.

Implementation Phase of the Action Research Model.

The Intervention Grid.

Resistance.

Types of Interventions.

Family Dynamics Issues.

Guidelines for Interventions.

6. Helping Family Firms Make Developmental Transitions.

Developmental Stages and Tasks.

Transitional DynamicsAssessing the Client s Abilities to WorkThrough Developmental Stages.

Guidelines for Consultants.

Implications for Practice.

Part 3: The Family Business Consultant.

7. Skills and Ethics of the Family Business Consultant.

Self-Assessment.

Knowledge and Skills Required.

Multidisciplinary Teams.

Fees.

Ethical Issues.

8. Special Situations and Challenges.

Copreneurs.

Emotions.

Addictions.

Gender Issues.

Nonfamily Managers.

Family Office/Family Foundations.

Ethnicity.

9. The Rewards and Challenges of Consulting to FamilyBusinesses.

Afterword.

References.

About the Series.

Statement of the Board.

Afterword to the Series.

About the Editors.

About the Authors.

Index.